Well, I'm relatively new here on f4f and in the cultivation of fig plants. I scan through the forum several times a week to see what's happening in the fig world. Something that has affected me, that I haven't seen any discussion on is the allergies that figs can cause for some not all. I seem to get a poison ivy type of skin allergic reaction to the beloved fig plants. Any prevention tips or remedies would be greatly appreciated.

Wow. That's a pretty harsh reaction. I presume all latex products have a negative effect on you?
I guess the thing to do is get used to wearing neoprene gloves when working with figs.
Do you get mouth sores from eating figs as well?
You're one of those people who has to be very careful to eat only fully ripe figs, I suppose.

And article I found on Google: PORTLAND, Ore. – In Portland, 73-year-old Olga VanHorn spent one of the past string of warm days in the dirt, pulling out suckers from her 30-year-old fig tree. She then bundled them up in her arms to take to the yard debris can.

About an hour later, her arms were covered in a poison-ivy-like rash.

“My arms from the top of my hands to my elbows looked like someone had thrown acid on me,” said VanHorn, who knows she is highly sensitive to chemicals. “It was burning.”

Two weeks later, remnants of the rash remain. Her arms still look burned, but are pink rather than scarlet red. VanHorn said she has been treating it with rubbing alcohol and cold water dips. "I just put my hand in the sink and ran the water up above it," she said.

VanHorn also said doctors advised that calamine lotion could be used. However, her chemical sensitives kept her from being able to even use calamine lotion to soothe the burning itch.

Indeed, the Oregon Poison Center database lists the milky sap from fig trees as one of the many unexpected fruits and vegetables that can be noxious. The fig’s parent plant, the Ficus, falls into the category of plants that causes dermatitis - inflammation of the skin. Poison center officials say the symptoms can include rashes, redness, blistering and swelling.

"It is a sensitivity reaction, and very few people are allergic to it," said a source at the Poison Center. "But anyone, with repeated exposure, could become allergic over time." Dermatitis also can get worse with exposure to light.

Note that the Poison database reports that reactions can be lessened or eliminated if removed promptly. Anecdotally, smoke from burning fig wood also may irritate exposed skin.

Interesting read.  I accidentally dripped some sap on a healing cut today and that was rather painful.
One day last week I was making several air layers and my arms were rubbing against the leaves for about 30 minutes.  I had a slightly uncomfortable rash but it only lasted about 20 minutes.  No sign of it after that.
Do you get the same reaction every time?  Does it come from the leaves or the sap?

Sap usually blisters. The rest of plants, leaves stems irritates and causes rash. Hard for me to work plants with gloves and long sleeves in 95 degree weather.

I have developed a rash to fig sap as well.  I thought I noticed this last year but this year I am sure it comes from fig sap.  So far, I have not gotten mouth sores from eating figs that aren't fully ripe (though I try not to make a practice of eating unripe figs).  Just brushing my skin by a fig leaf so far doesn't seem to cause the rash.  Maybe I should start wearing gloves for certain procedures that cause sap to leak like pruning and working with airlayers.

Yes, fig sap is an allergen. Responses depend on the individual - from the faintest of rashes to 3 degree burns and blisters. I get a barely noticeable rash in my forearms when pruning.

"Fig Lip" is a similar reaction to eating figs that causes the allergic response in the lip if the figs are not ripe enough. Peeling should reduce/eliminate the problem.

See Wolfskill.

My hands are tough enough that I don't get any rash on them.  When I spent several hours recently tying fig branches to trellis wires/stakes I had some rash on my arms so I work a long-sleeved shirt the next day.  When my nephew help plant fig trees he developed some bad blisters so he also switched to wearing a long sleeved-shirt and also wears gloves.

I believe there is some sort of silicone-based lotion that can be used to help prevent irritants from penetrating your skin.  I see the following product on Amazon which does not contain silicone, don't know anything else about it.

Medique Products 50097 SBS-46 Solvent Resistant Skin Cream

It happend to me in the start before i got to know the fig sap phytotoxicity. it is worst when it is hot.
Be carefull as it can leave scars.
the reaction can be also derived from eating unripe figs- oral/gum abcess.

found this for your enjoyment:

http://tallcloverfarm.com/351/how-to-know-when-a-fig-is-ripe-and-ready-to-pick

Hi,
For now, I have made no skin allergy to fig trees. I have some trees near the walk way and I get rubbed each time I pass by.
Tomatoes tending to add a green blush to the skin of the hands, I wear gloves (when I remember to) , and gloves are not a problem - and they keep my hands clean ( no green zebras) and I get less hurt by rose bushes and gooseberry bushes.
I just need to be more careful when weeding for not pulling the young trees. Without gloves, one feels what is caught by the hand, and can avoid pulling a tree or a valuable vegetable .

As for unproperly ripened fruit, I only had the mouth and lips a bit burning from the sap once. The bro at the end of last season just harvested all of his figs based on color, and not on softness of the skin and size. One could see the sap coming out when peeling the skin at the neck. So yes, picking the fruit at a proper level (not just halfway ) of ripeness especially at the end of the season when they take ages to ripen, is a must and one should accept to lose those fruits otherwise - the following years, one can adapt the cares to try and avoid losing those fruits, or even change for another more adapted strain .

Younger, I used sometimes the sap on a wart on the hands with success - so I'm positive the sap can hurt. That use of  the sap is sometimes said to work but only as a placebo - the brain is convinced that it will work and the body reacts by destroying the wart ... IMO, the sap is just effective; I don't think my brain has such a power ... although ... who knows ? The placebo effect is known to work in hospitals - some people have been successfully treated with sweet water as they were told that it was another real medicine .

But once you know that you are sensitive to that, you should use pants, closed shoes, long sleeves and gloves - once you'll get used to gloves, you'll not even notice that you wear them. and on sunny days, I have a hat or cap on my head ... Gardening is just fun ...

Would be good to know the specific nature of the reaction. 

For example, if one is exposed to poison ivy, he/she has a few minutes during which to thoroughly wash hands with soap and water to avoid any significant rash/blisters.  This is because the sap binds with your skin, which is what causes the reaction.  If you wash hands the substance binds with the soap instead. 

For another example, parsnip leaves can cause a severe rash if you touch them and then are exposed to sunlight.  But if you seek shade immediately there is no problem.

So is it something specific to figs, or is it just a generic latex allergy or sensitivity?  Can you wash your hands after exposure and avoid problems? 

Bought some slightly under ripe Black Missions from Trader Joes last year and burned the hell out of my lips and mouth. Of course they were not composted. I rinsed them well, didn't eat the top and dealt with the pain. About a week later all was well again. I don't have a problem with the latex on my hands and arms however. Next time I will peel them.

Have you gentlemen tried an oatmeal dunk on your fig sap boo boos.   Put some oatmeal in a gym sock and soak it in a pan of water.  It may help soothe and it is all natural.   I know you can use brewed tea on sunburn with great results.   Some years ago got badly burned at the beach  (was drinking diet soft drinks......big NO NO as it causes a reaction with the sun).  We brewed up big kettle of tea, poured in bath tub added water and I had a nice soak.  Didn't blister and was very healing.    Be careful that you don't touch your eyelids or your nostrils with the latex.   Also I would be wary  of going pee pee without washing your hands first. Joyce

Have you gentlemen tried an oatmeal dunk on your fig sap boo boos.   Put some oatmeal in a gym sock and soak it in a pan of water.  It may help soothe and it is all natural.   I know you can use brewed tea on sunburn with great results.   Some years ago got badly burned at the beach  (was drinking diet soft drinks......big NO NO as it causes a reaction with the sun).  We brewed up big kettle of tea, poured in bath tub added water and I had a nice soak.  Didn't blister and was very healing.    Be careful that you don't touch your eyelids or your nostrils with the latex.   Also I would be wary  of going pee pee without washing your hands first. Joyce

Aloe Vera plant leaves help with burns. I've never had poison ivy or fig sensitivity, but it's good on regular burns and sunburn.